Nau Architects Unveil Self-Sustaining "Living Roof" Pod Home Concept

Nau architects recently unveiled plans for a self-sustaining pod home that can be perched atop any building. Their 28 foot-long “Living Roof” capsule is a versatile prefab living solution that can be dropped anywhere from a cityscape to the Amazon. The pod is designed to generate all of its own electricity and it can transform from an office to a lounge to sleeping quarters, making it the ultimate mobile home.

The Living Roof pod home captures the sun’s energy using a series of photovoltaic panels and stores it in battery cells. Tiny wind turbines at each end ventilate the interior while generating electricity, and they also help funnel rain water, which is collected and purified for bathing and drinking use. With the touch of a button, an outer ring rotates and the interior switches from a sleeping area to an office.

Nau imagines the Living Roof as a private, mobile penthouse for the wealthy and eco-conscious — it could be rented to friends, used on vacations, or set up as a retreat in their own cities. However, one consideration was not made in regards to the project’s green footprint – transportation. Airlifting, as suggested by Nau, requires big oil. Hopefully, if and when Living Roof is realized, electric or solar planes will be available to airlift the pods and cut down on transportation emissions.